In 2003, Slope, an on line poetry journal, published a special issue devoted to American Sign Language (ASL) poetry.
The issue featured the winners of the 2003 Heart+Express National ASL
Poetry Prize and presented their work in video format. There is no
other way to "read" this work. Unlike Deaf poetry, which can be signed
and/or written, ASL poetry
is in, and only in, ASL. At first, I assumed that the videos would
feature subtitles, some printed "translation" of what the poets were
signing. This wasn't the case. Instead, the videos are completely
silent--that is, to someone who doesn't know ASL. But it's clear from
the careful hand, body and facial movements that a great deal is being
expressed, and it is maddening not to be able to understand the poems.
On the other hand, I think that the decision made by the Slope editors
was brilliant. ASL isn't simply a way of "miming" or literally
translating English, rather, it is its own language and needs to be
approached on its own terms…

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